VOLUNTEERING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2345, 29 June 1868, Page 2

VOLUNTEERING.

TO TIIE EDITOR OF I'tl G OTTELTON TIMES. Sir,-Your correspondent "Snider," and possibly there are many besides, seems to think the volunteer force of this province is not so popular, or so attractive to recruits as it should be. He may bo enlightened, and his enthusiasm considerably calmed down by reading the reasoning of one who is not exactly (let me hope), a " selfish coward", yet who is not a volunteer, and who has not, as yet, felt the slightest inclination to, or intention of, becoming one. Before I begin to chaw " Snider" up, I may suggest that 250 volunteers out of 6000 men, women, and babies, is not too low a per-eentage. I am not informed of the number of volunteers versus population in Great Britain. Am I wrong in saying we have more than double the number of volunteers here ? I am not old, but I am aho not young enough to feel the indignation that induces

Snider'e" pen to let off such burning periods. Therefore, such pomp and circumstance as may attach themselves to scarlet Garibaldi, and canary coloured Galligaskin, whatever they may be, have no attractions for me. What would you have ? lam married, and have contributed considerably to those 6000 from whom " Snider" can only cull 250. There would be no Jeanette to admire this Jeannot if I volunteered it never so rolunteerly. How then is it to be expected of me, that I, who am of an excessively retiring disposition, should decorate myself in the gorgeous raiment of—well, a parroquet, and exhibit my soldier-like form (it isn't a bit soldier-like) to the populace ? Then,as to drill, I confess (without prejudice) that I am indolent. I will not admit that this is a fault, I merely state it as a fact. lam a patriot, of course, who is not ? If the Fenians were to rise, I would get myself sworn in as •a special constable, but in the absence of that or some other powerful stimulus, my habits and tendencies make me dislike the trouble of playing at soldiers or any other game where there is drudgery without any perceptible end in view. " Snider" would, I have no doubt, tell me that drill would " make a man of you, Sir," it would renovate my'healtb, and set up my constitution. Will it cure strabismus ? That is the question, at least with me. Convince me of that, or that all the Queen's horses, or all the Queen's men (Volunteers) will straighten this stoop in my shoulders, and I will enlist to-morrow, that is, I will think it •over. In point of fact, I am not a man of war; in short, I would rather hire a soldier, if I wanted one, than soldier it myself. Can "Snider" get over that? I might have demolished him with a religious, or a philosophical Bledge-hammer, but I prefer to convince liim by the skintillations of my playful humour, that there are men in this, as in every other community, who, without being "selfish cowards," cannot, by any blandishments or bolstering up of the system by an extravagant Government, be induced to forego tIA perhaps hard-won ease, and become wßnteers.

Your obedient servant, DAHtGREN. Christchui cli, June 26, 1868.